DATE=8/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / SPYING / DISCIPLINE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252769
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-S Energy Secretary is urging punishment
for three officials who allowed a suspected Chinese
spy to remain in place at a nuclear weapons lab.
V-O-A's David Swan reports on the latest developments
in the case.
TEXT: Secretary Bill Richardson has acknowledged what
he calls a total breakdown in security, with plenty of
blame to go around. However, he has singled out just
three people for possible discipline -- the former
director of the Los Alamos lab, its former chief of
counterintelligence and a second counterintelligence
official.
An internal inquiry found the three did not act
quickly or decisively enough against Wen Ho Lee, the
scientist who allegedly passed nuclear warhead data to
Beijing. The lab director reportedly failed to curb
his access to secret information, even after he fell
under suspicion.
Another official neglected to tell F-B-I agents Mr.
Lee had signed a document [waiver] allowing them to
search his computer. As a result, it took until May
of this year to learn he moved a huge volume of
classified code from a secure computer network to his
own, relatively insecure machine.
None of the three men had any immediate comment on
the allegations. Mr. Lee denies spying and, though he
was fired in March, he has not been charged.
Officials have said they may never be able to build
an espionage case against him, but may prosecute him
on lesser charges, such as mishandling secrets.
Mr. Richardson's recommendation for discipline marks
another attempt to put the matter to rest. The
administration is still at odds with some Republicans
in Congress, who want a major reorganization of the
Energy Department and the labs. (Signed)
NEB/DS/WTW
13-Aug-1999 11:57 AM EDT (13-Aug-1999 1557 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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